Bulldog Mauls 4-year-old Girl to Death (UPDATE)

Allegedly a 4-year-old girl was mauled to death by the family bulldog on Tuesday in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire. Emergency units were called to the little girl’s home at about 12:00 p.m. with reports of a child being attacked by an enormous dog.

The little girl, Lexi Hudson, was off from school because she wasn’t feeling well. She was taking an afternoon nap when suddenly the canine jumped at the sleeping child, grabbing her in its jaws and began violently shaking her.

The dog, a former rescue animal, had only been living with the family for a few weeks prior to this horrible tragedy. Her mother had gotten the dog from the pound. Even though the dog had a very calm nature it had been a victim of abuse in the past.

Neighbors said the little girl was ‘shaken like a rag doll’ as the dog attacked her outside in her yard.

Lexi’s mother, Jodi Hudson, immediately came to her rescue. Jodi picked up a knife and began stabbing the French Mastiff as she desperately tried to wrestle her daughter from the jaws of this canine. Jodi killed the dog before she fled screaming from her home covered in blood.

Emergency crews rushed little Lexi to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham where she died of her injuries.

Police removed the dead animal’s body after the attack. The family owned French Mastiff was not a prohibited breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act; but it was massive. It was belonged to a breed called Dogue de Bordeaux; widely known from the film Turner and Hooch.

Neighbors said they would see Jodi struggling while trying to walk the dog many times because of its size. Sometimes it even pulled her over.

Friends say Jodi would never have dreamed in a million years that something like this could have happened. Lexi was known by family and friends as the “miracle baby” causing her death to be particularly tragic. She barely survived the odds as a baby born three months premature; weighing only 1 pound and 1 ounce.

She was her mother’s only child. A close friend stated that Jodi had recently commented on a baby picture of Lexi; which was on her FaceBook page saying, “She was about a week old the first time I could ever hold her. You wouldn’t believe she was that small to look at her now.”

One neighbor named Lily Parks said the dog was enormous but Lexi was very fond of it.

Dog expert Ryan O’Meara said he believes the only way to stop fatal dog attacks is compulsory training for all potential dog owners before they are permitted to keep a dog. He said education is the key; they need to know about the possible dangers every dog poses and understand what could set them off and cause them to have an aggressive moment.

O’Meara said the dog which attacked and killed four-year-old Lexi could have been scared by fireworks as the area was building up for Bonfire Night. He said dog attacks are more common around this time of year.

Although this may not have been a factor in this case it is common for dogs to become aggressive and to attack around this time. Whenever a normally calm dog gets frightened their temperament can definitely change. O’Meara said: “There’s no such thing as a permanent temperament for a dog.”

Early obedience training is essential with this breed of dog. They grow into strong and massive adults. Pet enthusiasts have said these dogs require owners who are capable of establishing and maintaining dominance. If not, these animals can become uncontrollable and unruly.

Paul Ryan, family friend, said he saw Jodi as they were rushing Lexi to the hospital and said she was hysterical. He said she kept repeating, “They told me the dog was safe around children.”

Ryan told police that Jodi absolutely adored Lexi, she was her only child and she always doted on her.

Darren Price, who lived only a few doors away, said the neighborhood is stunned.

Price said he is pretty sure that dogs are not allowed on the property; probably due to the multiple elderly residents as well as children. He has two children, he said, and for this to happen so close to home is horrible. It could have been anyone’s child. It’s such a terrible tragedy.

Little Lexi just started school in September, according to a close friend of the family; and was so excited.

Today the 4-year-old girl is dead due to a tragic and unfortunate attack. She was mauled to death by the family canine on Tuesday in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

UPDATE:

Originally it was reported that the dog was a French Mastiff; however police have confirmed that the dog was in fact a bulldog.

The bulldog was a stray called Mulan; it was adopted by the family two months ago. It came from Willow Tree Kennels which is attached to Orchard Kennels and Cattery.

Leicester City Council yesterday confirmed a dog warden took the dog off the streets and handed it into the kennels before Miss Hudson took it in.

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29 Responses to "Bulldog Mauls 4-year-old Girl to Death (UPDATE)"

Christian June 17, 2014 at 4:00 pm

The dog that killed this girl was a French mastiff/dogue de Bordeaux it. It was not a bulldog. Look at the pictures of the actual dog in other articles. Basically someone somewhere is pretty stupid, and for once it’s not me. Yay

why does the tag still have “french mastiff” on it? Please remove this…. mastiffs and bulldogs are different types of dogs. Mastiff are known to be gentle giants so please don’t mislead the public when this particular dog wasn’t even a mastiff.

As a journalist, it is your responsibility to report facts – if they are not facts, say “it is speculated”. In addition, you need to remove this article which cites information about the wrong breed (French Mastiff) and has a picture of the wrong breed (English Mastiff). Believe me, you don’t want the Mastiff world to rise up against you – because we are a powerful bunch!!! My cousin has 2 Mastiffs and they are sweethearts. Regardless my heart goes out to the family for their loss.

As a journalist, it is your responsibility to report facts – if they are not facts, say “it is speculated”. In addition, you need to remove this article which cites information about the wrong breed (French Mastiff) and has a picture of the wrong breed (English Mastiff). Believe me, you don’t want the Mastiff world to rise up against you – because we are a powerful bunch!!!

Cherese it’s obvious that you could alter this to the true facts but choose not to do so, your alterations are comical to say the least! So I will not be wasting anymore of my time. Like you said it’s really about what has happened to Lexi which is a tragedy and maybe lessons can be learned when re homing dogs of any breed.

They also need to get their facts right on the type of bulldog, I have 2 gorgeous british bulldogs who are so loyal and gentle. I think we all must remember that any dog is capable of causing harm and we must all strive to be responsible dog owners. Sometimes trying to give a rescue dog a good home is just not enough.

I see you have added more information to this article with regards to the nature of Douge de Bordeaux. Although this is correct information, may I point out that any dog not trained properly will be uncontrollable and unruly. This is why the dog that attacked the poor girl should never have been homed with them with nothing known of it’s background. The reference in this article towards Douge de Bordeaux has nothing to do with the unfortunate little girls death and should be removed. It seems to me to be a personal and unfounded view.

i have a dogue de bordeaux and now because of this untrue report people who always wanted to say hello to her now cross the road its unfair to her as she is such a nice and loving dog !!!! people really should get there facts right before put things like this out in the papers.
really sorry for the loss of this poor little girl r.i.p

This is as shocking story and my heart goes out to Lexi’s family. The reference to Douge de Bordeauxs should be removed as it is still damaging to the breed. If you had done your research correctly you would of also known that in the second world war Hitler ordered all Douge de Bordeauxs to be shot on sight because of there loyalty to families. The Douge de Bordeaux is one of the most loyal, loving family dogs you could ever wish for, there is no such thing as a dangerous dog just dangerous owners!

This article should be removed or at the very least updated with FACTS. This horrific attract was NOT by a dogue de bordeaux. Yet again this is the media jumping in head first with out actually looking in to the story or waiting on conformation of facts. REMOVE THIS UNTRUE STORY OF LIES. This is damaging to a breed of dog which has done nothing wrong and will have an affect on the owners and breeders of these beautiful dogues.

Why don’t you write some other factual information about the breed as well, rather than making it out to look like an evil monster.

It reporters that influence how society feels about things. Calling an American Bulldog evil means people instantly think they are all evil. I am sure as your aware being a reporter that thousands of big evil dogs live and die in families with children with no problems. Also as a reporter I am sure you are aware that the dog breed that causes most injuries is actually a Labrador.

So the cute lovely Labrador causes more injuries than the big nasty pitbull. hmm…

Its like calling one white person a murderer and then people thinking that all white people are murderers.

The reporter in question should get their facts straight before publishing a picture of the young girl with a DDB, and claiming the dog in question was indeed a French Bull mastiff words cannot express how this poor poor family must be feeling and no amount of messages will ever put things right, such a terrible terrible situation , The DDB is a fantastic breed, however we are talking about a animal and I would never trust any dog big or small 100% in any given circumstance.

Probably the worst piece of journalism i have ever read, this awful person should be sacked. She was not attacked outside in the yard and the dog was an awful American Bulldog also responsible for attacking a girl 3 weeks ago not a DDB, good old yanks take something and ruin it as usual!!!!

My heart goes out to the little girl and family. But as mentioned this is a false and untrue report as the girl was in bed and not outside and the dog was a bulldog not a douge de Bordeaux. It seems like the journalist is more bothered about trying to tarnish the breeds reputation by releasing lies than covering a tragedy and paying attention to the little girl who has been killed.
Douge de Bordeauxs are often used as therapy dogs due to their relaxed calm temperament and not used for fighting.

The journalist who has wrote this article should be sacked, the papers and the news should employ people who know how to do their jobs properly and focus on facts and the truth. They should put a article apologising for blaming the Dougue de Bordeaux.

Well done to the police for working with facts and the truth !!!

Omg. their is a enormous difference in appearance between a Dougue De Bordeaux and a little Bulldog !!!

Any clown can get the facts right about any breed of dog on the internet so why did they then put the facts remain the same on the Dogue de Bordeaux when the truth is they carnt even diffarate between two completely different breeds of dog !!!

Is that what they are calling an apology for getting their story wrong, again poor journalism !!!

It makes me wonder if in fact the journalist who wrote this story hates Dogue de Bordeaux and it is out to tarnish the breed in any way possible !!!

Surely the article should of just focused on a poor girl who has been killed by a dog (Breed not yet known) and what her poor family are going threw write now. My heart goe’s out to Lexis family who must be going threw absolute hell right now.